DAY 8 at CSW69: Young Hopefuls

Upon some strict instructions from the (unofficial?) head of our UNA delegation Lady Tee Thompson (whom you don’t question!), I spent most of my day in my hotel room, trying to sleep and recover so I could participate in the rest of the week.

Late in the day, I rallied and went to meet with her in the UN Cafe for a great chat about the changes she’s seen over the years in CSW, namely how it has changed from being 24 hours a day with thousands and thousands of events to a strange “ghost town” feel with only 700 events this year.

It was lovely to finally meet her in person, and I also met a couple of her other friends. After about 45 minutes or so, I hopped in a cab to go grab dinner with my friend JSav, who is currently in previews for SMASH on Broadway. We had a lovely chat about our life goals, our respective sweethearts, and believing in our abilities to be in the spotlight. Love him to bits!

I decided to walk back to the hotel and grab some more powerful cold meds on the way. I joined the rest of the delegation for an informal meetup, where Lady Tee was delivering some tough love to young members. “We’re not just here for selfies. You were chosen to represent the United States at a critical moment.”

What did I learn from Lady Tee today? Well, that on May 10th, the United States officially denounced CSW AND the Sustainable Development Goals. Not joking.

Don’t believe me? Here’s their statement.

I’m reminded once again that we have to double down. No country gets to say they support equality and then reject the Commission on the Status of Women… which is being held IN THEIR COUNTRY. I’ve never been so enraged, embarrassed, and frustrated all at once. But I’m staying calm and looking for the answers, continuing to listen for where my contribution is most valuable and can make the biggest impact.

Keep hope, my friends.

And with that, sweet dreams — I’ll be back tomorrow!